The 10 Best Songs We Heard This Week: The National, Solange

It’s Friday, which means we’re preparing for the inaugural Flavorwire staff trivia contest (really), and also that we are, as ever, rounding up the best songs we’ve heard this week. This week we adored new tracks from Liars, Julianna Barwick, and Scott & Charlene’s Wedding, marveled at the fact that Giorgio Moroder is soundtracking a Google Chrome racing game, enjoyed atmospheric goodness from oOoOO and When Saints Go Machine, got all morose with another new track from The National, and plenty more. All this goodness is streaming now, and it all awaits you after the jump.

Liars — “I Saw Your From the Lifeboat”
We are very much looking forward to seeing Liars at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art this weekend, but even if you’re not attending said event, you can console yourself by downloading two new tracks by the band for free. One of them is the above “I Saw Your From the Lifeboat,” and the other is entitled “Perfume Tear” — get them both here.

Julianna Barwick — “Forever”
Of course Julianna Barwick has been recording in Iceland. Her gorgeously atmospheric music is a perfect fit for what in your correspondent’s opinion is the single prettiest country on the planet, and it makes perfect sense that she made her upcoming new album Nepenthe there. This is the first glimpse of that album, and it’s as stunningly beautiful as ever.

Giorgio Moroder — “Racer”
Yes, we live in an age when Giorgio Moroder has soundtracked a video game. What a time to be alive. The track is for a game called Racer, which is described as a “Google Chrome experiment” and is designed to be played on the mobile version of Google’s browser. Moroder’s accompanying track itself is not bad — the breakdown does sound terrifyingly like Alice Deejay, but still, it’s worth hearing.

Scott & Charlene’s Wedding — “Fakin’ NYC”
A great new track from your correspondent’s fellow antipodean, Craig Dermody, discussing the experience of moving halfway across the world to NYC and trying to work things out as you go along: “I’m faking it, New York City/ I’ll let you in on a secret of mine/ I don’t know what I’m doing any of the time.” Indeed. indeed.

Solange feat. Kendrick Lamar — “Looks Good With Trouble”
The less maniacal/more interesting Knowles sister returns! Solange has collaborated with the ubiquitous Kendrick Lamar on this track, which is the sort of slow summer-night jam that will be soundtracking many a rooftop sunset once summer arrives in earnest.

Xeno & Oaklander — “Sheen”
A comparatively upbeat new track from Wierd stalwarts Xeno & Oaklander, drawing as ever on classic early Mute/synthpop sounds and crafting them into new forms for the 2010s. It’s the first single from their new EP Par Avion, which is apparently out some time in the fall.

oOoOO — “Mouchette”
It seems like Christopher “oOoOO” Dexter has been around for ages, but in fact, it’s only now that he’s gearing up for the release of his debut album; it’s called Without Your Love, and it’s out next month on Nigjht Feelings. This track is taken from the album, and is exactly the sort of wistful and mildly creepy electronica we’ve come to expect from Dexter.

When Saints Go Machine — “Iodine”
We’re not ashamed to admit that we’re suckers for funny and/or pun-tastic band names, and “When Saints Go Machine” walks a fine line between tomfoolery and genius. Their music is rather less lighthearted — it’s not unlike oOoOO, actually, albeit a somewhat less hauntological version thereof.

Camera Obscura — “Fifth in Line to the Throne”
A beautifully melancholy ballad, with backing vocals from Neko Case. It’s good to have them back.

The National — “Sea of Love”
And finally, yes, we are very excited indeed about the new National album. No, we are not ashamed.